Cycling a tank with a shrimp?

[brooke]

I'm setting up a qtank and someone on this forum had said I can cycle with a shrimp from the grocery store. I'm assuming you drop it in the tank raw and with the shell on. But the question is, how long do you leave it in the tank?

[Reefland]

Until it gets nasty, shouldn't be for more than a few days to a week. I have read of people placing it in a sock or panty hose so it is easily removed when the time comes.

[Reef Junkie]

Until it gets nasty, shouldn't be for more than a few days to a week. I have read of people placing it in a sock or panty hose so it is easily removed when the time comes.

The usual recommendation is 1 shrimp per every 10 gallons. If you want to be really sure I would break out the ol' test kit. When the nitrites drop and you register nitrates you are good to go.

[brooke]

I've put the shrimp in 3 weeks ago, let it get nasty, then pulled it out (the shrimp, that is.) Nitrites 0, Nitrates 0, pH 8.0, Ammonia 3. I took the shrimp out about 2 weeks ago, and the Ammonia has not changed. Did I take it out to early? Help

[Reefland]

No if you have ammonia then the shrimp has done it's job. Do you have any rock or sand in the tank?

[Ninong]

I've put the shrimp in 3 weeks ago, let it get nasty, then pulled it out (the shrimp, that is.) Nitrites 0, Nitrates 0, pH 8.0, Ammonia 3. I took the shrimp out about 2 weeks ago, and the Ammonia has not changed.

If you have 60 lbs of live rock in a 55-gal tank, then you really didn't need a shrimp to cycle your tank. The live rock would be more than capable of doing the job without any help. The only reason to cycle a tank with dead shrimp (or a piece of dead seafood of any kind) is if you are trying to cycle a tank without live rock.

Something is wrong with your test results. I cannot imagine ammonia that high for that long a time without getting a reading on nitrite.

Was the live rock cured or uncured? Did it smell bad? Does the tank smell bad right now?

[brooke]

This was not in my 55gal. This was in a 5 1/2gal qtank with no sand or rock, only a sponge filter. Sorry I wasn't clear on that.

[Ninong]

This was not in my 55gal. This was in a 5 1/2gal qtank with no sand or rock, only a sponge filter. Sorry I wasn't clear on that.

OK, everything is perfectly clear now. Using a dead shrimp to cycle such a tiny tank with no rock and no substrate was the wrong approach. What you should have done instead was to simply place the sponge filter in the sump of your main tank for two or three weeks so that it could acquire some beneficial bacteria.

At this point, I suggest you do a 95% water change and then retest your water parameters three or four days after that and see what you get. Since you have no rock and no sand in your Q-tank, the only place for biological filtration is the sponge filter. Bacterial colonization of the bare surfaces of the tank alone will be minimal and insufficient to act as a biological filter. Chances are that you will have to do frequent water changes (at least weekly) to maintain water quality in such a small Q-tank once you put livestock in it. In all honesty, I don't think a 5-1/2 gallon tank is large enough to quarantine too many species. It may cause them too much stress. It would work for small specimens but that's about it.

Good luck!

[yankeebobo]

I know this is a Q tank, but would there be any way to put a few pieces of rock in? Perhaps in the form of some rubble? Granted, you'll be treating the tank, but to keep from maintaining it as frequently.

As Ninong said, glass surface alone won't hold enough bacteria to keep it stable. But, follow the advice on the sponge as well. It won't hurt to have that as well as a few rocks.

[brooke]

Could I just dump out all of the water I had in the qtank and put the sponge in my sump now, would it cause an ammonia spike? What if I rinsed it out really good? Do I just let it float in the water in the sump? Sorry if these questions seem dumb.

[Ninong]

Yes, you could dump out all of the water from the Q-tank. Just mount the sponge filter on the inside of your sump so that it is in the water, if possible. Otherwise, just stick it anywhere in the water in the sump or in the main tank. It should be colonized with beneficial bacteria within a couple of weeks or less.

[Reefland]

Yes, you could dump out all of the water from the Q-tank. Just mount the sponge filter on the inside of your sump so that it is in the water, if possible. Otherwise, just stick it anywhere in the water in the sump or in the main tank. It should be colonized with beneficial bacteria within a couple of weeks or less.

After the couple of weeks then you would place the sponge back in the 5.5 gallon, fill it up with new saltwater (or even 5.5 gallons on your current tank water when doing a water change) and your off to a start.

[brooke]

Okay, sounds good. Do I rinse the sponge before I put it in the display tank?

[Ninong]

Okay, sounds good. Do I rinse the sponge before I put it in the display tank?

You could if you want to but I don't think it would be necessary.

[ldrhawke]

You already have a stable source of bacteria. Take a couple of cups of substrate from your main tank and a small piece of live rock and put it into the QT. Add a pinch fish food to feed the bacteria, the fresh salt water mix, turn of the recirculation pump. It should beable to accept a lite fish load safely in a day or two.